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Raptor Class Battlecruiser
Due to the constant upgrade of new technologies and the ever spreading nature of the Phoenix Republic, Phoenix Fleet Systems struggled to keep many of its old designs updated within the Navy. Another problem arose in the area of engineering - that many old ships had been made to accommodate the more primitive technologies of their day, meaning that newer designs which were made with these new technologies, rather than adapted to them, were naturally more efficient. The result within PFS meant that the corporation had a massively forward focused approach to ship building. Rather than recalling and upgrading ships continuously, they chose instead to either allow other organizations to update these ships, or simply decommission them for parts, recycling them into newer models. ''The Raptor'' One such case was with an early PFS Battlecruiser called the Raptor. This ship was the mainstay of early Phoenix fleets, protecting Titan from the pursuers of Earth that ultimately never came. Like many other early designs, many Raptors were decommissioned to make way for newer models. However, when Tristavian Shipyards officially joined the Republic, they took a keen interest in the Raptor Battlecruisers. PFS decided to form an agreement with TSVI, stating that if they could update the Raptor to be on par with new PFS battlecruisers, they would sign over the remaining hulls to them along with all Raptor related resources. The end result was the Raptor II, which became a symbol of the alliance between these two corporations, and saw the resurgence of a familiar face within the Republic Navy. The sheer distances involved in space travel frequently offer advantages to anyone on the offensive. Often by the time ships are detected approaching a vulnerable installation and the signal delays are accounted for, the possibility to mobilize a fully equipped fleet is severely reduced. Commanders are often faced with the hard decision of sending smaller, faster ships ahead or risking the installation falling before the fleet arrives. In cases where faster ships do intercept, they can often find themselves outgunned by heavier enemy warships. /" TVSI Engineers were provided with a decommissioned Raptor Class Battlecruiser by PFS and set to work stripping the interiors, re-enforcing the armor and redesigning the propulsion and weapons systems. The result is an epitome of the Battlecruiser Class, nicknamed the Velociraptor by the engineers on the project. Two oversized Titan Engines give the vessel an acceleration usually reserved for ships the size of a corvette while a dual layer of armor (plus re-enforced critical systems) allow it to stand against even battleships for a time. The Raptor II favors quality over quantity for weapon systems and is usually loaded with 10x Minotaur Turrets to tackle larger opponents and huge reserves of ammunition allows for extended engagements. Finally, the ship comes equipped with two vertical-deployment docking bays capable of holding a Bantam Dropship and a full complement of marines for boarding and policing operations. Ship Specifications Internally A-Deck begins with a large, strengthened navigation bridge in the bows followed by officer quarters, the main mess hall and a TVSI Standard Berthing Mechanism compatible airlock system. The center of the ship is taken up by a large fire control room and backup navigation suite. The larger B-Deck contains a marine command center situated below the bridge and the main ammunition magazine. Towards the stern consists of crew quarters and Main Engineering, complete with an over-sized reactor capable of powering the enormous Titan engines. The 'wings' of the ship contain a marine barracks, the Dropship Hangars and secondary ammunition magazines. In combat the Raptor II is best suited to tackling larger vessels, using its Minotaur cannons to cause long range damage and its superior speed to evade retaliation. The Raptor II delivers its heaviest firepower ahead or to port/starboard and delivers the least firepower ventrally and aft. Although the combat facing sides of the ship are equipped with an extensive Point Defense system, the rest is vulnerable to smaller ships and fighters and the battlecruiser relies on an escort of smaller craft to guard its flanks. The dropships on board can be used to deploy marines to assault enemy ships, for police actions or to re-take/re-enforce installations under enemy attack. The re-fitted Raptor II now serves as a high mobile and independent patrol and first response ship, delivering near-battleship grade resources to the battlefield and holding the line until the core fleet arrives. Raptor Class Battlecruiser_4.PNG Raptor Class Battlecruiser_5.PNG Category:Ships of the Galtrax Galaxy